DETAILED ACTION
Claims 1-11 of U.S. Application No. 18670115 filed on 05/21/2024 are presented for examination. Claims 12-18 have been cancelled.
Notice of Pre-AIA or AIA Status
The present application, filed on or after March 16, 2013, is being examined under the first inventor to file provisions of the AIA .
Claim Objections
Claim 1 is objected to because of the following informalities:
Last line in claim 1 should read, “stator and the stator carrier in the gap.”
Appropriate correction is required.
Election/Restrictions
Applicant’s election without traverse of claims 1-11 in the reply filed on 04/15/2026 is acknowledged.
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 102
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of the appropriate paragraphs of 35 U.S.C. 102 that form the basis for the rejections under this section made in this Office action:
A person shall be entitled to a patent unless –
(a)(1) the claimed invention was patented, described in a printed publication, or in public use, on sale, or otherwise available to the public before the effective filing date of the claimed invention.
Claim(s) 1 – 3, and 8 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 102(a)(1) as being anticipated by Pszola Peter (DE 102017207526; Hereinafter, “Peter”).
Regarding claim 1: Peter discloses an electric motor (E) assembly comprising: a stator carrier (5); a stator (stator teeth 3) supported by the stator carrier (5); at least one gap (the gap between 3 and 5 and seen for example in fig. 19A) defined by between respective surfaces of the stator (3) and the stator carrier (5); and at least one foam member (para [0048-0049]) interposed between the respective surfaces of the stator (3) and the stator carrier (5) in gap (para [0048-0049]).
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Regarding claim 2/1: Peter discloses the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses the gap (in the tooth 3 that extend in the axial direction) includes at least one of an axial gap extending in an axial direction (the gap is in tooth 3 which extend in the axial direction; also see para [0049]) or a radial gap extending in a radial direction.
Regarding claim 3/1: Peter discloses the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses the at least one foam member (in the gap between 3 and 5) is at least partially compressed between the stator and the stator carrier (the 0.5mm gap is completely filled with the foam).
Regarding claim 8/1: Peter discloses the limitations of claim 1 and further discloses the at least one foam member includes a plurality of circumferentially spaced-apart foam members (one on each tooth 3 which are circumferentially spaced apart).
Claim Rejections - 35 USC § 103
In the event the determination of the status of the application as subject to AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103 (or as subject to pre-AIA 35 U.S.C. 102 and 103) is incorrect, any correction of the statutory basis (i.e., changing from AIA to pre-AIA ) for the rejection will not be considered a new ground of rejection if the prior art relied upon, and the rationale supporting the rejection, would be the same under either status.
The following is a quotation of 35 U.S.C. 103 which forms the basis for all obviousness rejections set forth in this Office action:
A patent for a claimed invention may not be obtained, notwithstanding that the claimed invention is not identically disclosed as set forth in section 102, if the differences between the claimed invention and the prior art are such that the claimed invention as a whole would have been obvious before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to a person having ordinary skill in the art to which the claimed invention pertains. Patentability shall not be negated by the manner in which the invention was made.
Claims 4-6 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peter in view of Gould (US 2005/0168090; Hereinafter, “Gould”).
Regarding claim 4/1: Peter discloses the limitations of claim 1 but does not specifically disclose that the at least one foam member includes a silicone foam member.
Gould (in para [0068]) suggest forming the at least one foam member includes a silicone foam member.
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have configured the at least one foam member of Peter to includes a silicone foam member as suggested by Gould since silicon carbide foam is known for its extreme thermal and mechanical resilience.
Regarding claim 5/4/1: Peter in view of Gould discloses the limitations of claim 4 and Peter further discloses that the silicone foam member is a closed cell foam. (para [0050]).
Regarding claim 6/5/4/1: Peter in view of Gould discloses the limitations of claim 4 and Gould further discloses the silicone foam member includes at least one of silicon carbide (para [0068]) or silicon nitride.
Claims 7, and 9 are rejected under 35 U.S.C. 103 as being unpatentable over Peter in view of Tamura et al. (US 2021/0384802; Hereinafter, “Tamura”).
Regarding claim 7/1: Peter discloses the limitations of claim 1 but does not specifically disclose that the at least one foam member includes an adhesive.
Tamura suggest forming the at least one foam member includes an adhesive (para [0051]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have configured the at least one foam member of Peter to includes an adhesive as suggested by Tamura to increase the robustness and mechanical integrity of the electrical machine.
Regarding claim 9/1: Peter discloses the limitations of claim 1 but does not specifically disclose the stator includes a busbar.
Tamura discloses the stator includes a busbar (para [0080]).
Therefore, it would have been obvious for a person having ordinary skill in the art before the effective filing date of the claimed invention to have configured the electrical machine of Peter to includes a busbar as disclosed by Tamura, since busbars are known to ease the electrical connections in electrical machines.
Allowable Subject Matter
Claims 10-11 are objected to as being dependent upon a rejected base claim, but would be allowable if rewritten in independent form including all of the limitations of the base claim and any intervening claims.
Conclusion
Any inquiry concerning this communication or earlier communications from the examiner should be directed to AHMED ELNAKIB whose telephone number is (571)270-0638. The examiner can normally be reached 8:00AM-4:00PM.
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/AHMED ELNAKIB/ Primary Examiner,
Art Unit 2834
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